Biometric identification is a field including many different technologies for recognizing and tracking people. Face recognition and iris recognition are two biometric identification techniques based on electronic imaging and pattern recognition. Face recognition can be performed at two levels. At one level, the presence of a face in a scene can be noticed and the location of the face determined. At the second level, the face is examined and compared to a library of known or previously observed faces. In many cases, the face can be recognized or identified.
Iris recognition is a biometric technique in which a person is recognized or identified based on the unique patterns and structures in one or both of the person's irises. An infrared camera is often used in iris recognition applications. Locating an iris in a scene can be difficult because it is small relative to other things such as faces. An iris can be easily located when a person is precisely positioned in front of a camera and required to look into the camera. A less intrusive technique for iris recognition employs a camera that images a scene in which faces and eyes can be located. A second camera then attempts to image the iris. This technique requires a high degree of alignment precision to ensure that the camera images are aligned on the same spot. Systems and methods that address shortcomings in the current technology are needed.